" said Croesus in confirmation of the envoy's remark.
"But it certainly did strike me that Tachot was her royal parents'
favorite."

"Yes," said Darius, "without doubt. Once, at a revel, Amasis joked Bartja
in these words: 'Don't look too deep into Tachot's eyes, for if you were
a god, I could not allow you to take her to Persia!' Psamtik was evidently
annoyed at this remark and said to the king, 'Father, remember Phanes.'"

"Phanes!"

"Yes, my Sovereign," answered the Athenian. "Once, when he was
intoxicated, Amasis let out his secret to me, and Psamtik was warning him
not to forget himself a second time."

"Tell the story as it occurred."

"On my return from Cyprus to Sais as a conqueror, a great entertainment
was given at court. Amasis distinguished me in every way, as having won a
rich province for him, and even, to the dismay of his own countrymen,
embraced me. His affection increased with his intoxication, and at last,
as Psamtik and I were leading him to his private apartments, he stopped
at the door of his daughter's room, and said: 'The girls sleep there. If
you will put away your own wife, Athenian, I will give you Nitetis. I
should like to have you for a son-in-law. There's a secret about that
girl, Phanes; she's not my own child.' Before his drunken father could
say more, Psamtik laid his hand before his mouth, and sent me roughly
away to my lodging, where I thought the matter over and conjectured what
I now, from reliable sources, know to be the truth. I entreat you,
command this old man to translate those parts of the physician
Sonnophre's journal, which allude to this story."

Cambyses nodded his consent, and the old man began to read in a voice far
louder than any one could have supposed possible from his infirm
appearance "On the fifth day of the month Thoth, I was sent for by the
king. I had expected this, as the queen was near her confinement. With my
assistance she was easily and safely delivered of a child--a weakly girl.
As soon as the nurse had taken charge of this child, Amasis led me behind
a curtain which ran across his wife's sleeping-apartment. There lay
another infant, which I recognized as the child of Hophra's widow, who
herself had died under my hands on the third day of the same month. The
king then said, pointing to this strong child, 'This little creature has
no parents, but, as it is written in the law that we are to show mercy to
the desolate orphans, Ladice and I have determin